Better Than “Anything” Cake

Do you remember waaaaaay back in the early 2000’s (which is like decades ago in Internet years), there were recipe exchanges via email? I don’t remember exactly how it worked, but there was a list of people in an email chain… you sent a recipe to everyone on the list and you got a recipe back in return from each person. A lot of the recipes that are my favorites to this day were procured through this email recipe exchange, this cake chief among them. While this cake is better know with an R-rated title, I cleaned it up a bit and called it Better Than Anything Cake to make sure I stay out of the junk filters, but the flavor combination is unmistakable: a chocolate poke cake infused with sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then topped with Cool Whip and toffee bits.

I typically use chocolate cake recipes from scratch when making desserts, but I also love having a few recipes in my back pocket that can be whipped up quickly using a box mix if I’m in a bind. My other favorite for these types of situations is the Ho Ho Cake (which I tend to make multiple times during the month of December!). If you prefer, you could definitely use your own homemade chocolate cake recipe; my recipe of choice would be the Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake, baked in a 9×13-inch cake pan.

Do you have any old recipes from recipe exchanges? What about a favorite poke cake flavor combination?

Better Than "Anything" Cake

Yield:10 to 12 servings

Prep Time:1 hour

Cook Time:30 minutes

Total Time:1 hour 30 minutes

Better Than Anything Cake: The G-rated title for the popular cake made with devil's food chocolate cake, infused with sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, topped with Cool Whip and Heath toffee bits.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box.

2. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top using either the bottom of a wooden spoon, a skewer or a fork.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then slowly drizzle the mixture all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

4. Spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake, top with the Heath toffee bits and refrigerate again for 1 hour. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

There are so many versions of this cake floating around on Pinterest – going under the Better Than… title as well as the Poke Cake title. I have neither recipe in my arsenal! And good for you for having a quickie boxed cake mix recipe for those times when you just need one! Like…after you move into a new house and are likely unpacking or before moving and you’re trying to clean out a pantry and have no time anyway Great flavors in yours!

I’ve had a version of this where a little bit of kahlua mixed with dark chocolate sauce were poured over the hot cake then after it cooled it was cut into small chunks and made into a trifle layered with the ingredients already listed with the addition of chocolate pudding. The toffee is just a little crunchy decorative bonus. In the Kahlua version you could crush the hard coffee candies.

Awesome cake! I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a recipe exchange like the one from early 2000s but I’m so glad you were able to retrieve this recipe. I’m really loving the simplicity of it because at the end of the day, you just want a chocolate cake to dive into, especially on Mondays!

would LOVE a pistachio cake recipe… was looking over this recipe for the billionth time and i always think the toffee bits in the pic look like pistachios. might mix 3/4 toffee with 1/4 pistachio as the topping for this cake recipe.

My favorite poke cake is similar to this one except you pour a can of cream of coconut over the cake while warm. Frost with whipped topping or top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream. Tasts just like a Mounds Bar. Yum.

I definitely was part of those recipe exchanges, and actually got my favorite french onion soup recipe out of it! This cake looks awesome, and the simplicity of it has me sold! I’ll definitely be making this next time I reach for a good cake recipe!

This cake is so good! I have a love/hate relationship with it though. This cake beat my entry in a baking contest a few years ago. I’m a little bitter. But I wouldn’t turn down a slice! Poke cakes are the best. I’ve made several and so many more ideas for flavor combinations up my sleeve.

The first time I ate this cake many years ago, I thought I would just about die on the spot. How can something be so simple yet so outrageously delicious? We call it the Heath Bar Cake, and my Better Than ______ Cake is more of a pudding affair

My favorite poke cake is white cake mix with eagle brand and cream of coconut poured over. Then top with cool whip and coconut. Or do a chocolate cake but add almonds and shaved chocolate bar to the top.

I recently made an Oreo Poke Cake and it was quite fabulous. I’m a bit partial in that statement because I love chocolate and oreos so you can’t go wrong. The recipe is 1 box chocolate cake mix, 2 (4 ounce) packages of instant oreo pudding, 4 cups of milk and crushed oreos. Basically make a 13×9 chocolate cake and poke holes all over. Mix together the milk and 2 packages of instant oreo pudding and pour over the top of the cake. Top with crushed oreos.
I have heard of your X-rated cake before, but never attempted it. I think its about time that I do it!

1) Cake: Grease and flour a 13 x 9-inch pan or two round 8-inch layer cake pans. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cake mix, pudding, oil, water and rum. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pineapple then fold in coconut. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
2) Frosting: Mix crushed pineapple, rum, and vanilla instant pudding. Beat until it thickens. Fold in 1 container of Cool Whip. Frost cake and sprinkle top with coconut or toasted coconut.
* To toast coconut: Spread coconut in shallow pan. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Or toast in dry skillet.

Would love to print this recipe, but not sure how to do it w/o printing all the wonderful comments. The Pina Colada cake sounds yummy and I would love to make it for group of friends who meet every year in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Your help is greatly apppreciated and I just live your blog! Thanking you in advance! Deb

Hi Deb, Simply click the “print” button that appears above the thumbnail of the recipe (you’ll also see “save” and “email”). The print button will produce a printer-friendly version of the recipe that’s nice and clean.

This cake looks amazing! I’ve done something similar to this with coconut. I mixed the sweetened condensed milk with cream of coconut and topped the whipped cream with toasted coconut and melted chocolate chips.

These cakes were really popular in the 70s and no one seemed to mind the name too much. It was a great topic at the bridge table! I’m glad they get attention every so often. In fact I have the ingredients for the coconut version ready to go. I’m so hungry for it, but was too lazy to start! Thanks for the nudge. Unfortunately, none of my kids or grands like coconut, so it’ll be all mine…..

It’s just cake, mousse, toffee bits, cake, mousse, toffee bits, cake, whip cream, chocolate shavings. we often just crumble the cake if we want to serve it as individual servings. In a glass, the layers look yummy.